CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Report

Published on November 3, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


WEEKEND RECAP - RIVERKINGS 1-1-0 FOR HOME WEEKEND vs. COLORADO

The Mississippi RiverKings were 1-1-0 for the weekend, after a two-game home series at the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven against the CHL Northwest Division-leading Colorado Eagles Friday and Saturday nights. The weekend results moved the RiverKings season record to 3-4-0 for the season, good for six points and third place in the CHL Northeast Division, four points behind the second-place Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs and eight points behind the front-running Oklahoma City Blazers.

The Eagles came into the Mid-South with a season-best seven-game winning streak to start the season, which they made eight straight after Friday's 4-2 victory over the RiverKings. However, Mississippi came back on Saturday night to score a 6-2 victory over the Eagles, stopping Colorado's win streak at eight games.

COLORADO 4, RIVERKINGS 2 - 10/31/08

On Halloween night, Mississippi received goals from Louis Dumont and Dallas Costanzo, but Greg Pankiewicz scored Colorado's first goal and assisted on the insurance tally in the final minute for the Eagles in their 4-2 victory. Dumont's goal tied the game at 1-1 eight minutes into the first period, assisted by Stephen Margeson. Costanzo's goal came in the third period, just 18 seconds after Aaron Schneekloth had made the score 3-1 Colorado on his second red-lighter of the season. Goaltender Kevin Beech stopped 25 of 28 shots on goal, but suffered his third loss of season (2-3-0). Mississippi also failed to score on six power play opportunities.

RIVERKINGS 6, COLORADO 2 - 11/1/08

Saturday evening, Adam Smyth scored the eventual game-winning goal four minutes into the second period, as the RiverKings broke their two-game losing streak and gave the Eagles their first loss of the year, 6-2. Smyth scored his first goal of the year on an assist from David Simoes for a 3-1 RiverKings' lead. Louis Dumont scored his fourth goal (and second shorthanded goal) of the season for a 2-1 lead on a feed from Derek Landmesser at 17:42 of the first period. Brad Bonello opened the scored with his first tally (and first power play goal) of the season from Stephen Margeson and Dumont at 7:38 of the first frame. Mississippi also got a power play goal from Jeff Alcombrack, and goals from Jeff Nelson and Matt Pierce to complete the scoring. Mississippi out shot Colorado 34-25 for the game and scored a season-high two power play goals in nine chances, while allowing Colorado one extra-man goal in eleven tries. Each team also scored once shorthanded.

SPECIAL TEAMS IMPROVING

Mississippi's power play percentage improved after Saturday night's victory to 11.32% (6-of-53) for the season, which is 15th best in the Central Hockey League. On the penalty kill, the RiverKings have the sixth-best PK in the circuit at 82.46% (10-of-57).

DUMONT'S STAR POWER ON THE RISE

Mississippi veteran Louis Dumont has moved into a tie for sixth place in the CHL Three Star Rankings with eleven points. Dumont has been one of the team's three stars on three occasions this season, once as the number one star and twice as the number two star. Louis was the number one star in the RiverKings' 3-2 shootout victory at Oklahoma City on October 24th. He was the number two star in each of the two games played this weekend at home against Colorado. Dumont's goal Saturday night was his 40th career goal with the Mississippi/Memphis RiverKings; his fourth shorthanded goal of his RiverKings' career.

BEECH SHOULDERS LOAD BETWEEN THE POSTS

RiverKings' goaltender Kevin Beech played both games for the team last weekend, allowing three of the four Colorado goals in Mississippi's 4-2 loss to the Eagles, and then stopping all but two shots from the Eagles in the RiverKings' 6-2 victory on Saturday night. For the weekend, Kevin stopped 47 of 52 shots on goal for a save percentage of .904 for the two games. Beech is now 3-3-0 for the season, has a 2.97 goals-against-average, and a season save percentage of .893. He is second in the Central Hockey League in minutes played at 363:39 and is fifth in the league in saves with 151. Kevin is playing his second CHL season, splitting time with Laredo and Youngstown last year before coming to Mississippi this season.

ROSTER MOVES

The RiverKings added forward Matt Summers late last week, completing a trade made earlier with the Laredo Bucks that sent goaltender Sebastien Centomo to Laredo. Summers quickly contributed with an assist on Jeff Nelson's first goal of the season five minutes into the third period of Saturday's 6-2 victory over Colorado. Summers assisted on three goals, was tagged for four penalty minutes and was a plus-two in five games with Laredo this season. He has provided points in four of his last five appearances for the Bucks, and last Saturday, with Mississippi. Last year at Laredo, the Savage, Minnesota native scored 12 goals and had 35 points. For his CHL career, Matt has scored 12 goals and has 39 points, is a plus-eight, has three power play goals and five game-winners.

Sunday, the RiverKings waived Taylor Hustead and Adam Smyth was given a league-approved leave of absence.

Hustead earned two assists and was given six penalty minutes in six appearances with the RiverKings.

Smyth has a goal and an assist for two points in seven appearances for the RiverKings. His one goal was a game-winner Saturday against Colorado. Adam's also been given 30 penalty minutes while with the RiverKings this year. He's being allowed to return home to be with his wife for the birth of their child.

ONE HOME, THEN ONE ON ROAD THIS WEEKEND

The RiverKings will host the Rocky Mountain Rage this Friday night, and then get on the bus for the first of two straight road games. They'll play at Wichita on Saturday night, and then meet the Mudbugs at Bossier-Shreveport on Wednesday, November 12th. The Rage will be looking for their second win of the season when they appear at the DeSoto Civic Center on Friday night, as they will bring a 1-6-0 record into the contest. It will be the first game between the two teams this season. Saturday, Mississippi will be in Wichita for the first time this season in a re-match of the regular-season opener between the teams, won by the RiverKings 3-2 at the DeSoto Civic Center on October 17th. Wichita starts the week with a 3-5-0 mark.

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Central Hockey League Stories from November 3, 2008


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